Press Releases:

HRC Mourns the Passing of Steve Jobs

Washington– The Human Rights Campaign – the nation’s largest civil rights organization dedicated to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality – mourns the loss of one of America’s greatest visionaries, and a tremendous ally to the LGBT community, Steve Jobs. Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese issued the following statement:

“Steve Jobs’ life and career touched the lives of millions of people across the globe. From his unparalleled contributions to technology and communication, to his steadfast support for the fight for LGBT equality, Jobs has truly embodied the spirit of our great nation. The world is without a doubt a better place because he lived in it.”

In 2008 under Job’s direction, Apple donated $100,000 to fight Proposition 8, which aimed to end same-sex marriage in California by amending the constitution to define marriage as between a man and a woman – one of the first major corporations to donate to the fight. During his tenure as CEO, Apple scored a perfect 100 on HRC’s Corporate Equality Index.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

Contact HRC

Phone: (202) 628-4160
Fax: (202) 347-5323

To contact HRC please visit our contact us page. If you are a member of the media, you can reach our press office at: (202) 572-8968 or email press@hrc.org.

5 Things to Know about LGBTQ Issues

1. There are roughly 10 million LGBTQ adults in the U.S., or roughly 4.1 percent of the population.

2. Sixteen percent of same-sex couples are raising children according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2011 Current Population Survey.

3. There is no federal law that consistently protects LGBTQ individuals from employment discrimination; there are no state laws in 28 states that explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, and in 30 states that do so based on gender identity.

4. More than 50 anti-LGBTQ bills have been filed in 19 state legislatures in the 2017 state legislative session.

5. The FBI reported 1,167 hate crimes based on sexual orientation or gender identity in 2015. This is likely a dramatic undercount since thousands of agencies didn't submit any data and reporting is not mandatory.